<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Madara's Boy by devianta</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25924168">Madara's Boy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/devianta/pseuds/devianta'>devianta</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Humor, Gen, i wrote this essentially to make one joke, no beta we die like natsume reiko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:12:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25924168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/devianta/pseuds/devianta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sensei is missing. Natsume is being followed. Time to turn to the Dog's Circle for help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Madara "Nyanko-sensei" &amp; Natsume Takashi, The Dog's Circle &amp; Natsume Takashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Madara's Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the first fanfic I've written in over ten years. I hope it's enjoyable.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sensei was missing. </p><p>Or at least, that's what Natsume was beginning to think. The sometimes cat-shaped yokai left early in the morning two days ago saying he was going to taste the sake from a nearby spring that only flowed once every ten years (or something along those lines) and with barely a backwards glance he'd disappeared into some bushes alongside the road and that was the last Natsume had seen him. Such partings were not unusual. Nor was it strange for his sensei to attend drinking parties that lasted multiple days but it was the afternoon of the third day and still Natsume had seen neither hide or hair of his bodyguard. </p><p>He might also be somewhat concerned since he was positive that he was being followed by a strange yokai. He'd tried losing it, dashing from street to the next, through twisted alleys and shadowy courtyards, but somehow the creature managed to remain on his tail, perpetually hovering just out of the corner of his eye. It was frustrating. Even when he stopped and turned around, glaring at the location he'd last seen it, his stalker refused to approach him or leave him be. Normally this would be where his sensei would advise him or take care of the problem himself...</p><p>But his sensei was missing. And so, Natsume turned to the "Dog's Circle." </p><p>Or he would have if they hadn't found him first.</p><p>"Natsume-sama! Natsume-sama!" the mid-ranks greeted happily, bounding toward him as he entered the field where his yokai friends had a tendency to gather.  Natsume waved.</p><p>"Chukyuu! Hey, have either of you seen Sensei?" </p><p>"Madara-sama? Hmmm... We saw him at the sake spring the other day. Why? Did that ball of mochi go missing again?" answered the one-eyed yokai.</p><p>"Missing! Missing!" changed the bull yokai.</p><p>"Maybe. It's been three days now and I'm a bit worried, especially with that weird yokai following me..." Natsume replied, voice trailing off as he caught a whiff of perfume in the air.</p><p>"You're being stalked?" a feminine voice queried from behind him.</p><p>"Hinoe!" Natsume exclaimed.</p><p>Hinoe nodded her greeting. "Who's following you?"</p><p>Natsume shook his head. "I don't know. They've been following me all day."</p><p>"What do they look like?"</p><p>Again, Natsume shook his head. "I don't know. They won't let me see them. I only spot them out of the corner of my eye. Every time I turn to look at them they disappear. But then when I start walking again they reappear."</p><p>All three yokai frown. The one eyed mid rank strokes his chin thoughtfully while the bull shaped mid rank crosses his arms. Hinoe gazes into the distance while taking slow drags from her long pipe.  </p><p>After a lengthy silence Hinoe muses, "It might be The Child."</p><p>"The what?" Natsume asks.</p><p>The mid ranks laugh, "Come now, Hinoe! The Elder left ages ago!"</p><p>"Ages! Ages!" </p><p>"They went on that long journey, remember! There's no way they would come back here!" the one-eyed mid rank continued. </p><p>Hinoe smiles smugly. "They have."</p><p>Two yokai jaws drop. "What?!" </p><p>Another long drag from the pipe. "Yes, I saw them just today. They were in the northern part of the forest by the stream. It seems their journey is at an end." A pause, then looking directly at Natsume, "You should go there. Before the Elder left, they were... friends, of a sort, with Madara. They might know where to find him."</p><p>Interesting. "Who are they? The Elder? What kind of yokai are they?"  How can he find this mysterious former friend of his sensei if he doesn't even know what they look like?</p><p>The mid ranks have recovered from their shock and appear excited. "We'll do you one better, Natsume-sama! We'll take you to them!"</p><p>Hinoe puts her pipe away. "Oh what the hell. I'll go with you, too."</p><p>____</p><p>The sun was low in the sky by the time they made it to the northern forest. The cool fall air ruffled Natsume's hair and sent the brilliantly colored foliage flitting downward to the earth and the trekking human and yokai. Hinoe amused herself by plucking leaves from Natsume's hair whenever they landed there. The mid ranks chattered, making guesses as to what lands the Elder may have visited on their travels. The list was long. </p><p>Natsume was about to ask if they were there yet when he heard a low moan come from a tree a few feet in front of him. The tree's branches moved unnaturally in the wind, almost as though they weren't quite solid. The tree's roots rippled through the ground like water. Natsume stopped in his tracks, wondering if he should move closer or further away, but Hinoe and the mid ranks seemed completely unfazed by the tree's strange nature. All three stepped close to the trunk of the tree.</p><p>"Elder-sama! Elder-sama! We've come to visit you! Welcome back!"</p><p>"Welcome back! Welcome back!"</p><p>"We've brought someone for you to meet!"</p><p>"Meet him! Meet him!"</p><p>Hinoe stepped to the side and gestured towards Natsume. "This is Natsume Takashi, grandson of Natsume Reiko."</p><p>Suddenly, the trunk of the tree seemed to bend, leaning closer towards Natsume. A winding branch snaked forward and hooked itself behind Natsume, pulling him closer. "Ahhhh.... Nat... Sume?" a slow, raspy voice asked. </p><p>Clearing his throat, and trying to ignore the pointy twigs poking into his back, Natsume spoke, "Yes, I'm Natsume Takashi. I believe you've been following me? Did you know my grandmother? Is your name in the book of friends?" </p><p>"Hmmmm...."</p><p>No reply. "If your name is in the book of friends I'll give it back to you! Also, I'm looking for my sensei. He looks like a lucky cat. Have you seen him?" </p><p>The tree gives another rasping hum. </p><p>"Ahhhh... Yes, it is.... Natsume, Ma...da...ra's boy."  </p><p>"What?!" Natsume exclaims. </p><p>Hinoe and the mid ranks snort then break into raucous laughter. Tears leak from their eyes. The mid ranks are practically rolling on the ground. Natsume, by contrast, has turned as red as a tomato. He looks back and forth between his companions, wearing an increasingly betrayed expression on his face. Unfortunately, this only heightens his companions' amusement. Their laughter only grows more hysterical. </p><p>"Madara's boy! Madara's boy!" </p><p>Hinoe wipes the tears from her eyes. "Oh, that's the best thing I've heard in ages! Does Madara know you call Natsume that, Elder?" </p><p>The tree hums. Its branches relinquish their hold on the embarrassed boy who stumbles back a couple steps but doesn't flee. "I have... been looking for... you. Natsume... Madara speaks of... you... often. He comes.... here... the past few days...." A longer pause, and then, "I knew him... when he was a pup. Long ago, I hid... him from... the humans. He had... no one to... help him." </p><p>Natsume gasped. His sensei, had no one? He had been alone? Sensei never talked about his past, about anything that had happened to him prior to meeting Nastsume. He'd always been curious. He wished his sensei would tell him more about himself but he didn't want to pry. </p><p>"After he grew... I left. I went... on... a journey. I came back," the Elder continued. "Ma... da... ra... he has grown... strong. He said... he lives with... a human boy. He... protects... him. I wanted... to see... this boy. I sent... the Child." A small sapling springs from the ground in front of Natsume. Its dark, hollow eyes bore into Natsume's own. They appear almost soulless and yet... "It is me... but not me. I sent it... to see... the child that Ma... da...ra became... attached to. He chose... well." The earth swallows up the Child and the Elder falls silent. </p><p> "Aye, he did choose well," Hinoe agrees. Stepping in close, she ruffles Natsume's hair. He pouts.</p><p>The mid ranks nod their agreement as well. "Yes, Natsume-sama is the best! He's the savior of Yatsuhara! (Can't say the same for the mochi cat)"</p><p>"The best! The best!"</p><p>Growing increasingly red again at the attention, Natsume cuts in, "Elder! You didn't say before but did you know my grandmother, Natsume Reiko?"</p><p>By now the sun has set and the chill autumn wind bites into Natsume's cheeks and nose. He pulls his coat tighter around himself. He knew he should have brought his scarf. For once, he wishes his sensei was here to sit on his head and block some of the cold wind. Then again, the "Madara's boy" moniker would be even more embarrassing with him here.</p><p>The Elder remains silent.</p><p>"What wrong with them?" Natsume mutters. He'd never met an ayakashi like this before.</p><p>"They're very old, you know? Why do you think they're called "the Elder"? It's because they were here before any of us," Hinoe explains. "It's late and nasty things come out at this hour. We'll walk you back to the road. If it's any consolation, I doubt the Elder met Reiko since the Elder was still on their journey when Reiko lived here."</p><p>"Yes, yes, or else the Elder would have mistaken you for Natsume Reiko! But no, you're 'Madara's boy'!"</p><p>"Madara's boy! Madara's boy!"</p><p>"Stop calling me that!" </p><p> Natsume returns home with the Elder's leaves in his hair; his sensei is there waiting for him smelling strongly of sake. After a warm bath they lie next to each other on the futon. Neither says anything about where they've been or what they've done. Neither has to.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>